WHY DO WE SOURCE ORGANIC PRODUCTS FROM CHINA? IS IT CERTIFIED ORGANIC?
Whilst we are aware that there are falsely claimed organic products available on the market, we can assure you that anything we state to be organic supply, truly is organic.
All our products, not just Chinese produce, are third-party certified under the strict criteria of our Australian Organic Certifier, ACO. As part of their audit process, they collect random samples and conduct pesticide testing to ensure their standards are upheld.
Since our establishment in 2002, we have continually made great efforts to ensure that all our products, no matter where they come from, are grown honestly, naturally and meet a high-quality standard.
As a brand, we aim to be as open and transparent as possible, and as a result, gaining the trust and respect of our organic community. This trust is highly important to us, and something we honour by sticking to our values, standards and claims.
While we try to source quality Australian grown products as much as possible, in some instances it is not a feasible option. Environmental factors such as climate, soils, and seasons mean that some products such as oats, macadamias and mangos grow optimally in Australia, whereas dates, pepitas and cranberries cannot thrive here the same way organically.
And yes, some Australian farmers may be able to produce these products, however, they are unable to provide us with enough yield to meet the demands. Organic farming commonly produces smaller yields than conventional crops, which apply fertilisers and pesticides.
One thing that Honest to Goodness strives for is sustainable agriculture and ethical sourcing, which means that we prefer to source our products as close to their native origins as possible as to avoid unnecessary handling and distribution costs and to ensure the best possible price and quality for all our customers.
AUSTRALIAN ORGANIC CERTIFICATION (ACO)
For product imported via an international source, in this case China, we request all supporting documentation from the supplier, relating to their organic certification.
Our warehouse, distribution and production facility are fully certified by ACO. We are required to submit the supplier’s supporting documents to the ACO for review.
This is a mandatory requirement before we can distribute or sell a product labelled as "organic" within Australia.
The ACO conduct an independent audit to ensure our supplier meets the organic certification requirements. Upon approval, the product will be issued with an official ACO certification.
If you would like further information on the ACO certification process, we kindly invite you to contact the ACO further details.